. >>> and sad news from the london hospital where kate middleton was treated. a nurse who fielded it the call that was a hoax call has taken her own life. she was a first-class nurse, says the hospital. back to "hardball." >>> well, this isn't a progress report because there's no progress to report. when it comes to the fiscal cliff that's threatening our economy and threatening jobs, the white house has wasted another week. >> welcome back to "hardball." that was speaker boehner's downbeat assessment of fiscal negotiations. he went on putting blame squarely on the president. let's listen. >> this president has adopted a deliberate strategy to slow walk our economy right to the edge of the fiscal cliff. it's time for the president, if he's serious, to come back to us with a counteroffer. >> shortly after, house minority leader nancy pelosi put the blame back on republicans. let's listen. >> the only obstacle standing in the way of middle income tax relief are the republicans' unwillingness to ask the top 2% to pay their fair share. this is a moment of truth. th